Toilet mop and container therefor



TOILET MOP AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Oct. 16, 1952 INVENTOR.

JAQYIES 0. KING United States Patent TOILET MOP AND CONTAINER THEREFOR James D. King, Greenwich, Conn.

Application October 16, 1952, Serial No. 315,070

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-123) This invention relates to toilet mops and containers therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toilet mop which is normally housed within a disinfectant container but which may be readily removed therefrom and which includes novel means for squeezing excess disinfectant from the mop prior to its removal from the container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toilet mop and container therefor of the above type including a container cover adjustable along a rod holding the mop, the cover having a partial handle which is adapted to unite with a second partial handle carried by the end of the mop rod to make a full handle.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a toilet mop and container therefor of the above type which includes novel means for securing a squeezing tube to the inside of the container cover.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a toilet mop and container therefor bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is compact, pleasing in appearance, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

For other objects, and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be'had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the 'accom panying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toilet mop and container therefor embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the mop in a raised position within the disinfectant container;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the mop and cover being removed from the container;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the manner of using the mop after removal from the container, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of container cover and squeezing tube.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown a toilet mop and container therefor, referred to collectively as 10, and including a glass jar 11 having an externally threaded neck 12 whereby to permit a container top on cover 13 of plastic or other suitable material to be screwed thereon in the usual manner, the cover having the usual rubber gasket 29 abutting the top edge of neck 12.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that a flared squeezing tube 14 is integrally formed in the under surface of the cap or cover 13 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

The top surface of the cover or removable top 13 is integrally formed with an elongated sleeve constituting 2,774,093 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 a hollow partial handle 15 adapted to slidably receive a rod 16 of plastic or other suitable material and to the upper end of which is secured a second partial handle 17 of plastic or other suitable material, the handle 17 being adapted to cooperate with the sleeve or handle 15 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The cover 13 directly below the handle 15 is provided with an opening 18 permitting downward movement of the rod 16 therethrough, a sponge 19 being secured to the lower end of the rod 16 by means of clamps 20 and a screw 21 threaded into the end of the rod, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the clamps 20 embrace either side of the sponge 19 and are provided with aligned openings receiving the screw 21, a metal washer 22 being disposed intermediate the uppermost clamp 20 and the threaded end of rod 16.

It will also be noted that the sponge 19 is larger than the squeezing tube 14, the sponge 19 thereby being compressed as it is forced upward into the tube 14 upon upward movement of the rod 16.

A suitable disinfectant-23 is provided in the lower portion of the container or vessel 11 in which to immerse the sponge 19 when the rod 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In operation, with the cover 13 screwed onto the container 11 and the sponge 19 immersed in disinfectant 23, the rod 16 is drawn upwardly by handle 17, as shown in Fig. 3, until the sponge is completely housed within the squeezing tube 14. This movement results in the removal of excess disinfectant from the sponge and permits the latter to be used to clean the toilet without objectionable dripping and in a manner to be described directly.

The cover or removable top 13 and its associated parts are then removed, as shown in Fig. 4, by unscrewing the cover with the sponge still within the squeezing tube.

The partial handle 15 is then held in one hand while the rod 16 is moved downwardly through the cover 13 with the other hand until the partial handle 17 abuts the partial handle 15, thus forming a unitary handle which is grasped as shown in Fig. 5. During this operation, the sponge has been projected from the squeezing tube and the device is ready to be used for cleaning a toilet.

After several swipes, the sponge is returned to the squeezing tube by reversing the above operation, the cover then being screwed back onto container 11. The handle 17 is then moved downwardly to immerse the sponge again in the disinfectant, whereupon the cycle of operations is again repeated.

It will be noted that with slight modification, my device can be manufactured entirely of plastic, save for the sponge 19, with a consequent low cost of production and low price to the consumer.

It will also be noted that the cover of the device and its associated parts are conveniently adjustable along the rod 16 and that the cover is provided with a partial handle 15 which can unite with the partial handle 17 on the upper end of the rod to provide a full handle for firmly grasping the device when swabbing the toilet.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 6, there is shown a modified form of cover or top, referred to collectively as 10', and differing from the first form of the invention in the structure of the cover and squeezing tube.

The flared squeezing tube or inverted cup 14 of plastic or other suitable material is now provided with an integrally formed closed end 24 having an opening 25, the tube and end thereof now being separable from a cover 13' of plastic or other suitable material, with the end 24 disposed adjacent the inner face of the cover, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The cover 13' is provided with an opening 18' aligned :flange :27 at its lower-endythe flange 27 supporting the closed :end 24 f the squeezing tube-or inverted cup.

The bushing 26 and the sleeve here cooperate to :slidably receive the elongated rod 16 of the first form, :the inside diameter of the sleeve 15' being substantially the same as the inside-diameterof the bushing 26-except at-the lower end thereof, where this sleeve is provided withan enlarged opening 28 adapted to receive the upper portion of the bushing, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The bushing 26 and sleeve-15' also cooperate to retain thecover 13' and'the closed end-24of the-squeezing tube :14 in mutual engagement between'the bottom edge of sleeve 15' and flange 27. i

It will vbelnotecl that the cover 13' and its associated iparts are-adjustable along the rod16inthe same manner and for thesamepurposes as inrthe first form.

In other respects, the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown .in Figs. 1-5, and like reference numerals identify likeparts in each of the sev- :eralrviews.

lItshould now be apparent that there has been provided atoiletmop which is normallyhouse'd within a disinfectant container but which may be readily removedtherefrom :and which includes novel means fort-squeezing excess disinfectant from themop prior, to its removallfromt the container. It should also be apparent that there has been provided a toilet mop and container therefor includingza containercover adjustable along and holding "the mop, the cover having a partialhandle which is adapted to unite with a second partial-handle carried by the end of the mop rod tomake 'a full handle, and which includes .novel means for securing a squeezing'tube to the inside'of the, container cover.

Whiletvarious changes may be made in thedetailed-con- :upperend :tlierewitln -struction -it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim;

What is claimed is:

A toilet mop and container therefor comprising an open top vessel adapted to contain a disinfectant, a standard cover top removably attached to the open top vessel, an inverted squeezing cup having a bottom end, said bottom end disposed adjacent to the inner face of the cover top 'to depend therefrom, saidcovertop and said bottom end of the cup having aligned central openings, a bushing extending through said aligned openings and upwardly from'the outer-face of the cover top, said bushing having a peripheral flange on its lower end engageable with the inner face of the bottom-endof the inverted cup, an elongated handle sleeve surrounding and secured to the upper end of the bushing, the outside diameter of said handle sleeve being greater than the diameter of the aligned'openingsand engaging the outer face-of the cover top to prevent the downward displacement of the sleeve therethrough and 'tohold the cup, bushing andqsleeve upon the 'cover top in' tight assembled relationship there- 1 with,=an elongated handle rodgslidable through the handle :sleeve and bushing,,said handle rod being substantially greater. in' length than the depth of the vessel, a sponge attached to the lower end of the handle rod and adapted to be pulled into said squeezing cup by said rod to free rodand adaptedto-be united with the said handle sleeve,

as the rod is slid'downwardly through the cover top as semblyto free th'e sponge of the squeezing cup, to permit the hand --to :hold the 'coventop assembly elevated upon the of Ethe rod and providing a unitary handle 2238;953 Steinmetz Apr. 22; 1941 Sh'yic'h Jan. '27, 1903 

